Refrigeration apparatus



Dec. 21, 1948.

WITNESSES:

WWW

INVENTOR 5L0 C. TAN/VCR.

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 21, 1948 REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Elo C. Tanner, Springfield, Masa, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 13, 1946, Serial No. 690,15ii

This invention relates to refrigeration apparatus and more especially to a means for securing the refrigerating coils in a refrigerator.

It is an object of the invention to provide a means for securing the refrigerating coils of a refrigerator in good heat transfer relationship with the inner liner thereof.

It is a. further object of the invention to provide a securing means for the refrigerating coils which facilitates the assembly of the refrigerator cabinet.

These and other objects are effected by' the invention as will be apparent from the following description of claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which;

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a refrigerator cabinet embodying the coil fastening means of this invention and is taken on the line 1-1 of a refrigerator cabinet shown sectionally in Fig. 2:

-Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 11-11 of the refrigerator shown sectionally in Fig. l, but with the heat inslulating material near the coils removed:

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line IIIIII of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on the line V- V of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, the reference numeral iii designates a refrigerator cabinet having an outer metal shell i2 and a horizontal partition is in the cabinet ill dividing it into an upper food storage chamber i6 and a machine compartment it below the food storage chamber it. A rectangular liner is secured in the food storage chamber i8 and heat insulation 22 is packed between the liner 20 and the outer shell l2 and partition it.

A series of metal plates 24 are secured to the outer surfaces of the two side walls, the top wall. and the bottom wall of the liner 20. In each of the plates 24, three edge portions 26 are offset from the central panel 28 and are welded to the liner 20. The plates 24 are tapered to provide a pocket which is wider at its opening than at the rear portion of the pocket. The breadth of the pocket is also tapered to decrease from the opening of the pocket to the rear end thereof. Vitreous enamel may be applied after the plates 24 are welded to the liner.

A refrigerant-carrying tube 30 is secured in heat transfer relationship with the outer surfaces of the two side walls, the top wall and the 6 Claims. (Cl. 257-21) bottom wall of the liner :0. The tube an is ill formed into horizontally-extending loops 32, and the loops 32 are flattened to a taper corresponding to the tapering breadth of the pockets formed by the plates 24. The horizontal passages of the loops 32 are also formed to be wider at the front of the cabinet than at the rear to lie snugly in the marginal portions of the pockets. This construction permits the wedging 'of the loops 32 into the pockets between the liner 20 and the metal plate 24. It also provides that the tube 30 lies snugly in the rounded edges of the plate 24, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Refrigerant is supplied to the tube 30 through a capillary tube 34 from a refrigerant condensing apparatus 38. The apparatus 36 includes a condenser 38 which receives compressed refrigerant vapor through a tube 40 from a compressor (not shown) located in a sealed casing 42. The intake at the compressor communicates with one end of a tube 30 to withdraw the vaporized refrigerant therefrom.

In the manufacture and assembly of this cabinet, the refrigerating apparatus 36 and the tube 30 are manufactured and tested as a unit. The loops of the refrigerant tube 30 are then inserted in the pockets formed on the liner and forced tightly into position. The heat insulating ma- D terial 22 is then packed into the outer shell i2 path along the plate 24 is short.

and the refrigerating apparatus, the tube 30, and the liner 20 are thereafter inserted into the cabinet it as a unit. In this construction, the metal plate 265 aids in conducting heat from the liner lit to the tubes at and the heat-conducting A notch M is providedln the partition I8 adjacent the door opening of the cabinet ill to allow for the passage of the capillary tube 34 and the tube 30.

After the liner 20 and the tube 30 are inserted in the cabinet, the insulated space between the liner 28 and the outer shell i2 is closed by a heat breaker strip t6. Another heat breaker strip 48 is secured between the front edge of the liner 2!! and the partition M. A metal strip 50 is secured across the front edge of the partition i4 and the notch 44 in the partition I4 is closed by suitable means (not shown) in the drawing. A door 52 closes the opening of the food chamber i6 and a closure 54 is provided for the front opening of the machine compartment I8.

It will be apparent from the above that this invention provides a convenient means for essembling a. refrigerator cabinet and one that affords good heat conduction from the inner liner to the refrigerant-carrying tube.

While the invention has been shown in but one form. it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various\changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. Refrigerating apparatus comprising an insulating cabinet including a metal inner liner, metallic means secured to said liner in heattransfer relationship therewith, said means forming a plurality of pockets on said llner,-said pockets being tapered in breadth, and a metal tube bent into a plurality of loops, each of said bent into a plurality of loops, each of said loops being wedged into one of said pockets, said tube being adapted to conduct a refrigerant liquid.

4. The refrigerating apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein said loops are tapered similarly to the taper in the width of said pockets and lie adjacent the tapered walls thereof.

5. Refrigerating apparatus comprising an insulating cabinet including a metal inner liner. metallic means secured to said liner in heattransfer relationship therewith, said means forming a plurality of pockets on said liner, said pockets being tapered in width and breadth, and a metal tube bent into a plurality of loops, each of said loops being wedged into one of said pockets, said tube being adapted to conduct a refrigerant liquid.

6. The refrigerating apparatus defined in claim 6 in which said loops are tapered in width and breadth similarly to the taper in the width and breadth respectively of said pockets and are wedged into said pockets to lie adjacent the tapered walls thereof both in respect to the width and the breadth of the pockets. I

ELO C. TANNER.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,320,500 Ashby June 1, 1943 2,414,061 Richard et al Jan. 7, 1947 

